Rain-alarm.



L. T. TROIANO.

RAIN ALARM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1917.

1,280,116. 1 PatentedSept. 24,1918.

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LOUIS '1. TROIANO, OF PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK.

RAIN-ALARM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

. Application filed September 5, 1917. Serial No. 189,851.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. Louis T. Tnomxo, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Port \Vashington, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rain-Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to alarms or signals and has particular reference to a means for informing the occupants of a building that it is raining outside.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an electric circuit including a battery. a signal and a switch installed within a building together with a means for closing the circuit. said means being placed outside of the building and provided with a pair of contacts slightly spaced apart and adapted to be bridged by the adhesion of rain drops therebetwecn in order to warn the occupants that it is raining.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the class described which is simple in construction. inex ensive to manufacture and thoroughly relia 1e and efiicient. for the purpose for which it is intended.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts fully described in the specification and particu- I larly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the circuit closing means.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view therethrough.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit.

Fig. 4: is a detail fragmentary sectional view.

Fi 5 is a detail view of a slightly modified orm of collecting means.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1O designates a base to which is secured the upstanding supporting members 11 and 12.

A collecting funnel 13. is supported by the members 11 and 12 substantially as shown.

The supporting member 12 is provided with a cross bar 14., the terminals of which are passed through the member 12, adapted to receive the thumb nuts 15. Passed through the cross bar 14. are the threaded terminals 16 of a pair of identically formed contact members 17. the latter being slightly spaced apart at their inner ends and provided with cuplike portions 18. The threaded terminals 16, are insulated from-the cross bar 14. by means of insulation 19. and are adapted to receive the nuts '20. which also serve as binding posts for the wiring 21. The wiring 21, is included in a circuit having a battery '22. a signal and a switch 24.

In use of the device the switch 21, is normally closed and the contact members being spaced apart causes the circuit to he normally open. \Vhen rain begins to fall the funnel 13 collects the rain drops which gravitate into the cuplike portions 18, of the contactmembers and thence between the lower portions of the same which bridges the space therebetween and causes the signal 23, to inform the occupants of the building in which the device is installed that rain is falling. The switch may then be opened in order to cut oil the alarm.

In the modification shown in Fig. 5. the euplike portions 18 are substantially enlarged whereby to provide a collecting means for the rain drops thereby eliminating the necessity of the funnel 13.

iVhile I have shown and described my invention as adapted for the purpose of a rain alarm. I, however. desire it understood. that I do not care to be limited to this use as the same may be adapted for many other purposes; nor do I care to be limited to the exact details of construction but wish it understood that such changes and alterations as fall within the scope of the appended claim may be resorted to when, desired.

What I claim is A circuit closer for rain alarms comprising, mating terminals provided with portions spaced relatively and adapted to be bridged by the adhesion of moisture therebetween. a base member, a supporting structure rising from said member, means for mounting the mating terminals from the supporting structure, and a rain collector carried by the supporting structure and havng a discharge end opening to said ll'liltllig 

